Lagos and Akwa-Ibom states top the list of 21 states the Federal Government will refund N489 billion spent on federal projects, senator representing Anambra Central Chief Victor Umeh said this yesterday.
Speaking in Awka, Anambra State to reporters, Umeh said the Senate decided to settle some of the outstanding claims and liabilities of states with N488,743,526,204.77 based on state-by-state claims.
From the amount, according to him, Lagos State would be refunded N114.6 billion and Akwa-Ibom would receive N78.7 billion.
Other states like Zamfara, Umeh said, would get N60.02 billion; Ogun N59.2 billion and Anambra N37. 9 billion, among others.
He said he was a member of the Ad hoc Committee on promissory note programme and bond issuance that approved the refund.
According to him, “The approval of the refund followed a motion by Senator Francis Alimikhena (Edo North) that the Senate should settle inherited local debts and contractual obligations on refund to states’ governments for projects executed on behalf of the Federal Government.”
However, he urged the Federal Government to release the money on time so that the states, especially Anambra, could put such fund to use.